COP31 opens in Turkey amid global tensions
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Citizen Digital
Illustrative image · Mathias Reding · Pexels · Licence PexelsCOP31 opens in Turkey with more than 100,000 participants expected and nearly 200 countries due to negotiate on the energy transition and climate finance. Geopolitical tensions and financial constraints are complicating the discussions, according to Citizen Digital.
More than 100,000 people are expected to attend COP31 over two weeks in Antalya, Turkey, where negotiators from nearly 200 countries are due to discuss accelerating the energy transition and funding for developing countries. The discussions are taking place amid geopolitical tensions and financial constraints, according to Citizen Digital.
Turkey is chairing the conference while Australia is leading the negotiations, in an arrangement intended to settle the dispute over the host country. The two countries are presenting COP31 as an “implementation COP”, with the aim of turning previous climate commitments into concrete measures.
Turkey is also promoting a non-binding action programme covering, among other things, artificial intelligence and waste management. Its main component aims to increase the share of electricity in global energy demand from 20% to 35% by 2035, a proposal that could cause disagreements with the European Union, which advocates “clean” electrification.
The UN warned in September that global temperatures were on course to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. A particularly strong El Niño episode is expected to peak later in 2026, with an increased risk of extreme weather events and the possibility that 2026 or 2027 could be the hottest year ever recorded, reports Citizen Digital.
COP31 comes after UN calls to accelerate emissions cuts ahead of COP31. Africa is also advocating for a target of three times more adaptation finance.
